The Redwall Squadron
by Lady Stormcrow
Summary: When a revenge attempt by the Pastmaster goes awry, the SWAT Kats, their allies, and their enemies find themselves stranded in a world of warrior mice and tyrannical vermin. Crossover with the Redwall book series.
1. Summoning

**Disclaimer: **At last, Kate "My Mary Sue Can Beat Up Your Mary Sue" Dagger has _finally_ sat down to write her much-talked about SWAT Kats/Redwall crossover! Being the nitpicker I am, it was not easy for me to formulate a plot, but I hope I've made a good enough one. Here is the first chapter.

        As for the actual disclaimer: Hanna-Barbera owns _SWAT Kats_, and Brian Jacques owns _Redwall_. Sue me and ye shall receive naught but a rubber jellyfish and some old sneakers. 

        And now, on to the story!

**The Redwall Squadron**

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**_Chapter One_**

        It was not a dark and stormy night.

        Well, it _was _nighttime, but the sky was clear and cloudless. The moon was in shadow, about to begin its new cycle, and there should have been nothing to block out the stars. But the tiny lights were drowned by the harsher lights of MegaKat City, glaring up at the heavens. Against that fiery glow, only the brightest of the stars managed to be seen. 

        On the city outskirts, a small figure robed in purple stood by the base of an ancient tower. He watched the city with bared teeth, the orange glare reflecting in his single eye. 

        There were many things about this modern age that the Pastmaster hated. The constant thunder of the machines. The way kats refused to believe in magic. But the worst was these modern lights that blazed into the night and blocked out the purer light of the stars.

        The Pastmaster could not have cared less about the loss of the stars' beauty. But their being drowned out meant that he could not read the constellations, or predict the patterns that were vital to so many spells. 

        Was it any wonder he wanted the Dark Ages to return?

        Oh, he had tried, that could not be questioned. Ever since he had first seen the ugliness that was this modern age, he had promised himself that he would restore it to the proper time; his own time. 

        But he had not reckoned with _those _two. The SWAT Kats. 

        The very thought of them made the ancient sorcerer growl under his breath. They were warriors the like of which the Pastmaster had not seen since the heroes of ancient legend. They had defeated his most powerful weapons, broken his strongest spells, even escaped from imprisonment in time! 

        Had they not been his enemies, the Pastmaster might have felt respect for them. 

        "But they _are_ my enemies." he said. "So long as the SWAT Kats protect this world, I will never be able to complete my task." 

        He looked up at the shadowed moon, and his skeletal face split in a horrible grin. "Well, after tonight, they will never interfere again." 

        The sorcerer reached inside his robe and retrieved a golden pocket watch. Opening it, he watched in silence as the hands slowly ticked toward midnight. 

        "The moon is dark. The Veil is weak." He smiled. "It is time to begin."

        Walking away from the tower, the Pastmaster came to a bare circle of ground some meters away from the ancient cemetery wall. In the Dark Ages, this had been one of his favorite spell-casting sites, and he was pleased to see that the grass had not grown back in the eight hundred years of his imprisonment. Any plant life on the site would have been . . . awkward. 

        As the hands finally reached midnight, the Pastmaster raised his watch to the sky, aiming at the dark place where the moon should have been. Concentrating hard, he began to summon magic energy, channeling it into the watch. 

        **_"Hear this spell as night unfurls . . ."  _**

        A beam of black-green energy shot into the sky. 

        **_". . . Come to me from other worlds!"   _**

        The midnight-green energy began to swirl, forming a spiraling portal. Although it was much smaller than the time vortexes that were his trademark, the Pastmaster was having to work much harder to maintain it. Because the watch's power was over Time, and the portal was crossing Space, he had to channel most of the energy from his own body, something he had never been good at. Had he still been mortal, he would have been sweating and gasping for breath. 

        It did not help that the portal not only had to reach across space, but across the very Veil of the Universes. 

        The Pastmaster was weakening. He was putting all his energy into this Summoning Spell, and still nothing was happening. 

        Then he thought of the SWAT Kats. How terrified they would be when he made the new attack. How wonderful it would be to have revenge. How glorious the world would be when returned to the Dark Ages.

        A final burst of energy ripped from the Pastmaster's body. The small vortex in the sky flashed with brilliant emerald light, and then faded into the darkness. 

        At the same time, something fell into the dust by his left foot. 

        The sorcerer gasped with relief and slipped his watch into its pocket. Then he reached down and, a little fearfully, picked up the object.

        It was a small piece of red rock, only a few shades paler than the paw that held it. Its rough texture told the Pastmaster that it was sandstone. There were a few grains of dust embedded, and a tiny chip of paler stone. 

        The Pastmaster was a little surprised that the object he had summoned was an unremarkable lump of stone, but what did that matter?

        _It had come from another universe!_

"At last, I have my link to the other worlds!" the sorcerer exclaimed. "With this talisman, I can open a portal beyond this universe, and cast anyone in as I choose!"

        He gave a cruel laugh. "The SWAT Kats have escaped from the past and the future. Let's see them escape from the oblivion between the worlds!"

        Chuckling quietly, the Pastmaster slid the stone into his pocket and went back to his tower. He had the instruments; now all he needed was to encounter the SWAT Kats. 

        Thinking on it now, he was glad that the object from another world was only a small piece of stone. Anything more powerful might have been difficult to control. The spell was going to be risky, but the Pastmaster knew that the ends would justify the means. 

        And after all, how much power could there be in one piece of red sandstone? 


	2. Snatched

**_Chapter Two_**

    "Have we found anything yet?"

    Jake Clawson immediately ducked as a chunk of wire-laced Styrofoam was thrown at his head. There was a scuffling sound from inside the wrecked Enforcer cruiser, and Chance Furlong's dust-splashed face appeared at the window. 

    "I don't know about _we_, but _I've _found nothing." the tabby grumbled.  

    An entire morning of hunting through piles of salvage under a hot sun does not improve the tempers of even the nicest kats.    

    "It was your idea to play 'treasure-hunt' in the yard; _you _should be the one crawling through the junk!"

    "I found that broken radar scanner and those missile parts, didn't I?" Jake replied, a little indignant. "We need to build new weapons if we want to keep ahead of the bad guys. And we can't get parts anywhere else."

    Chance sighed. "I know. But next time; _you_ crawl into the wrecks." He grimaced. "There were roaches in the last one."

    "I thought you weren't afraid of bugs anymore?" the lean tom asked bemusedly.

    "I'm not!" Chance insisted. "But that doesn't mean I _like_ them!"

    Deciding not to push the matter further, Jake picked up the bag that held the few pieces of useful military salvage they had found that morning. "I don't think we're gonna find anything else, and anyway, it's getting toward lunch. Let's take this back."

    Chance brightened at this suggestion. 

    As the big tom climbed out of the remains of the car, a glint of sunlight by one of the tires caught his eye. Momentarily curious, he looked down.

    A small piece of silver-black stone was resting in front of the treads. It was about the size and shape of a robin's egg, the edges rough but shiny in places, like glass. 

    In later years, Chance could never remember why he had done it. He wasn't usually interested in rocks. Even now, he didn't know what was moving him. But for some reason, he reached down and picked up the shiny pebble, and studied it for a moment. 

    "What's that?" came Jake's voice over his shoulder. 

    Chance showed him the pebble.

    "Must've been part of a roadway. See, it's got chips of asphalt on it. Pretty, though."

    "See, I _did _find something. Let's go back; I need a cold drink." A mischievous grin spread across the tabby's face. "Race ya!"

    "Not fair!" Jake yelled as his friend raced across the yard. "I'm carrying the stuff! I'll still beat you, though!" 

    Jake's boast proved false; by the time he reached the garage, Chance had not only arrived, but finished a glass of water. With a chuckle, the dark orange tom hefted the sack of salvage.

    "I'll take this down to the hangar, and then lunch?" 

    "Sounds good to me." replied Chance.

    But was to be a very long time before the two friends had lunch in that garage again. 

~~~

    Deputy Mayor Callico Briggs crouched down fearfully in her car, trying to figure out how she could drive away without being spotted.

    The day had started out so nicely! She had talked with Dr. Sinian, and given the historian permission to go through the archives of City Hall. Then, her workload had been so light that she was able to leave the office and go to a restaurant for lunch. Now she was driving back to attend a meeting with Professor Hackle concerning the development of a quite revolutionary computer system. Callie did not care much for technology, but she liked the Professor, and she was looking forward to the meeting, part of which would be televised. 

    Then, just as she was driving past the MegaKat Mint, she had seen the all-too-familiar form of the Metallikat Express crashed at the front door. Callie had halted and ducked down, fearful of attracting the robots' attention, as she waited for the Enforcers to arrive. Once the Metallikats were distracted, she could drive away safely.

    But, to her shock, the Enforcers did not come. 

    Fighting down her fear, Callie reached into her purse and retrieved her communicator. Praying that she wouldn't be heard, she waited for the SWAT Kats to answer.

~~~

    In the hidden level beneath the salvage yard, Jake carried the bag over to one of his many worktables. On the table, he gave the morning's pickings a quick perusal.

    It wasn't much; a radar scanner that had been bashed up considerably, some parts from a dismantled missile, and a few other bits and pieces. Jake recalled that there had been precious little useful scrap in the last few months.  

    "Well, it's really a good thing. Less salvage means there were fewer vehicle casualties, which means there was less fighting." 

    The next moment, the klaxon sounded. 

    "The Powers that Be have a _very _sick sense of humor." Jake muttered as he raced to the phone. "Razor here. What's happening?"

~~~

    In front of the MegaKat Mint, Mac and Molly Metallikat finished packing the last of a load of silver bars into their hovercar. The robbery had gone well; no trouble from the kats in the Mint, and no law enforcement on the scene yet.

    "I hope this stuff doesn't weigh us down too much." Mac muttered as he closed the door. 

    "With _you _drivin', it won't make a difference." Molly sneered. She glared back at the door of the Mint. "And none of youse better try anything, or you're dead!" The robotic she-kat fired at blast from the weapon on her arm to emphasize her point. Chunks of stone fell away from the Mint's front wall.

    The two robots leapt into their vehicle, preparing for a quick getaway. But as he drove into the street, Mac's red eyes suddenly glowed with interest. A grin spread across his face.

    "Hey Molly, look!" He pointed to a familiar green sedan farther up the street.

    His wife saw, and chuckled. "Well, waddaya know! Two rewards in one day."

    "We got the silver, now why don't we get Briggs?"

    "So get to it already!" Molly snapped.

    The hovercar sped up the street.  

~~~

    In the hangar, the familiar voice of Callie Briggs reached Jake's ears. "SWAT Kats, get down here quickly! There's a major robbery in progress at the MegaKat Mint; the Metallikats have returned! I'm just outside the Mint. I don't know where the Enforcers are. Please, guys, hurry! I – "

    There was a gasp, a screech of wheels, and then the klaxon went dead.

    "The Metallikats again?! I thought we dismantled those creeps!" Chance growled as he leapt down the ladder, having heard the conversation. "It must be that silver shipment that came in two days ago. Those two could never have resisted." 

    Jake managed a smile. "Guess we need to teach them stealing is wrong. Let's go, buddy!"

    The two toms raced to their lockers and began their transformation into the vigilantes known as the SWAT Kats. Boots and overalls were replaced by blue flight suits, and caps gave way to blue helmets marked by a red triangle. And as each donned a black mask, Jake and Chance became Razor and T-Bone. 

    The warriors leapt into the cockpit of a sleek black fighter jet, the TurboKat. But as he prepared the controls, T-Bone realized that his right paw was hampered.

    "Oh crud! I still have that rock from the yard!" he muttered. Quickly, he slipped the small stone into a pouch on his flight suit, and resumed the takeoff.

    Minutes later, the TurboKat blazed across the heavens like a phoenix out of legend, racing toward the towers of MegaKat City.

    "Something's bothering me." Razor spoke aloud. "Callie said there weren't any Enforcers at the scene. But even if the robbery had only just occurred, at least a _few _should have gotten there."

    In the seat ahead, T-Bone also looked concerned. "Turn on the Enforcer band. Maybe they'll say something."

    Razor did so. A few seconds later, their question was answered.

    _"All Enforcer units, respond! Major break-in at Pumadyne Laboratories! Repeat, Dark Kat has broken into Pumadyne! Backup needed! Repeat, all units respond . . ."_

~~~

    In his chopper, Commander Ulysses Feral snarled as he listened to the dispatch. It was certainly true that they needed backup, but to call in all units meant there would be few officers available if another crime occurred. 

    Already there had been the call from the MegaKat Mint. The commander wished he could fight two battles at once. But Dark Kat had attacked first, if only marginally so, and weapons theft was considered more serious than the theft of money. It was a very painful choice, but for the law enforcement of MegaKat City, such compromises had become a part of life. 

    "Continue pursuit!" Feral growled into his 'com. It was a pointless thing to say, but he had to say _something. _

~~~

    A small distance ahead of the Enforcer choppers flew a sinister-looking black jet, with an odd skull-like figurehead. In the cockpit, the massive personage known as Dark Kat chuckled quietly. 

    The raid on Pumadyne had gone just as planned. The security systems had been useless, and a few shots from the laser-gun he carried under his robe had dealt with the guards. Now a sizeable load of new, advanced weapons rested in the jet's cargo hold. Better still, blueprints for more weapons were in a briefcase by Dark Kat's side. 

    "Those foolish Enforcers actually think they can pursue me with _helicopters?_" the huge kat laughed. "Ha! They will be easy to lose. And with these new plans, MegaKat City will soon be mine!" 

~~~

Razor switched off the band. 

    "Dark Crud and the Metalli-rats in less than an hour?!" T-Bone snarled. "That's a record even for MegaKat City!" 

    "We can't handle both at once." said his companion. "Pumadyne and the MegaKat Mint are at opposite points of the city."

    T-Bone sighed. "We told Callie we'd be at the Mint, and we will. Let the Enforcers handle Dark Kat." 

    He started to steer the jet in said direction, but scarcely five seconds had passed before another alarm came through.

    "Now there's an emergency signal from MegaKat Biochemical!" Razor reported. "Dr. Viper again." He snarled in frustration. "This is ridiculous! Multiple attacks in a week is one thing, but all in the same day?"

    There was an uncomfortable silence.    

~~~

    "Keep your path to Lapine Avenue!" Lieutenant Felina Feral called to the officers in her unit. "The sewer runs along this street, and then turns at the corner of Pad and Maine. Viper will have to come out somewhere!"

    The dark-furred she-kat patted the carefully opened map on the passenger seat of her cruiser. It was a map of MegaKat City, but rather than showing streets or buildings, it showed the sewer system. Once the Enforcers had been certain that Dr. Viper nearly always used the sewers for travel, they had created a diagram of the sewers, hoping to find a way to trace his path.

    The trouble was, it was hard to know which pipes the mutant scientist could use. Not to mention that some maps were out of date. Add to that the changes weather conditions and repair work could make, and it was a very tricky process to follow the sewers. 

    But it was the best they had. 

    Felina's 'com echoed the voice of one of her officers. "What if Viper climbs out and switches paths?"

    The she-kat frowned. "We'll just have to hope he doesn't."  

~~~

    In the damp darkness beneath the streets, Dr. Viper hissed viciously at the sound of the pursuit. His arms held the three new katalysts he'd managed to steal before that _cursed _security guard had hit the alarm. 

    Mentally, Viper scolded himself for not bringing one of his creatures along on the raid. The monsters were dull-witted and could get on his nerves, but they were remarkably skilled at dealing with guards. 

    But he had come alone this time, and now he was pursued. 

    "Sssstupid damned Enforccccers!" the reptilian kat growled. "I have to lose them ssssomehow!"

    He paused, thinking. 

    "I know the ssssewers better than they do. There musssst be a way . . . of coursssse!" Once more in good spirits, Viper resumed his pace, heading for one location. 

~~~

    "Razor . . ." T-Bone began quietly "Remember that one time Dark Kat, Viper, and the Metallikats joined forces?"

    "Yes . . ."

    "You don't think they've had a reunion?"

    The toms were silent for a moment.

    "No way." the tabby answered his own question. "We saw their little 'breakup'. This has to be just a coincidence." 

    "And a very unfortunate one." Razor continued. "MegaKat Biochemical is in another direction entirely from Pumadyne and the Mint."

    By now, the TurboKat had reached the City Hall clock tower. T-Bone paused the jet above the front square, hovering in place. They had a choice of three separate directions. 

    "Where do we go? The Mint, Pumadyne, or the Biolabs?"

    T-Bone sighed. "I don't know!" 

~~~

    Inside City Hall, Dr. Abby Sinian read over a folder of antique documents with an almost religious reverence. She held the file delicately, as though afraid she might profane it. 

    "The original deeds to the city lands, and a transcript of the founders' meeting. I can't believe how fortunate I was to find them." 

    She turned to the figure of Mayor Manx beside her. "Thank you again for helping me, Mr. Mayor." Actually, the thanks was a polite nothing; Dr. Sinian had done all the searching and finding herself.

    The stout kat started at her voice. "Oh? Eh, you're welcome, Dr. Sinian."

    Manx was not at his most aware at present. The day was cool and sunny, and he had very much planned on going to the golf course. But Callie had insisted that he aid Dr. Sinian in her perusal of the city archives. So, in a kitten-like rebellion, he had stood off to the side, neither helping nor hindering, daydreaming and impatient for the historian to finish so he could leave.

    Dr. Sinian looked at the folder again. "I wonder . . . would it be all right if I took these back to the museum? My resources there are much greater, and I could examine these in better detail."

    "Oh, er, of course!" Manx flustered. "That's quite all right."

    "Thank you!" the historian exclaimed. "If there is nothing else, I believe I'll be going."

    Manx brightened considerably. "Well, if you must. Here, let me show you to the door."

    Dr. Sinian raised her eyebrows at that, but she followed the mayor up the stairs. 

~~~

    In the lobby one flight up, Ann Gora leaned back on a bench and gave a bored sigh. Why did Kat's-Eye News have to send _her _to cover the technology conference? 

    "I didn't become a journalist to sit and listen to meetings." the copper-haired reporter muttered to herself. "I wanted exciting news! There's a whole city full of stories to be told, and where am I? Stuck in here waiting for an event I don't even want to attend."

    To add insult to injury, the deputy mayor was out of the office, and Professor Hackle had not arrived yet, so Ann had no one to talk to. Johnny was still out in the van, preparing his cameras. Ann smiled a little; unlike her, the camerakat was looking forward to the meeting, due largely to his love for technology. She could draw strength from his enthusiasm.      

    The sound of footsteps made Ann look up hopefully. Coming up from a stairwell, she spied Mayor Manx and a she-kat she recognized as Dr. Abby Sinian, curator of the MegaKat Museum of History.

    This was certainly an improvement!

    "Hello!" Ann called, walking over to the two kats. 

    Dr. Sinian started for a moment. She recognized Ann Gora from the news, but she'd never met the reporter in person. "Oh! Hello, Ms. Gora."

    Ann looked with interest at the folder in Dr. Sinian's paw. "May I ask what that is?"

    "A file of very old documents concerning the founding of the city. The mayor has given me permission to take them to the museum." the historian said with a smile.

    Ann's news-sense went off. "Ooh! Is there any chance for a story in the future?"

    "Very possibly. Really, it was incredible to find these documents."

    Having reached a common ground, the reporter and the historian began a lively conversation over the papers, one excitedly asking questions, one eagerly giving answers. 

    Manx groaned. Would he _ever _get to the golf course? 

~~~ 

    Callie drove frantically, zigzagging along streets in a vain attempt to lose the Metallikat Express. Her pounding heart seemed almost as loud as the thunder of the hovercar. 

    The deputy mayor drew in a sharp breath as she turned a corner. Despite her speed, the robots were gaining, and she had no delusions of what her fate would be if they overtook her. Somehow she had to get away.

    _I'm **definitely**_ _going to be late to the meeting! _she thought in an odd moment. _Where are the SWAT Kats? Where are the Enforcers? _

    City Hall! There would be law enforcement there! If she could reach the building, she would be safe! 

    Had she been calm, Callie would have recalled that the Metallikats had broken into City Hall before, regardless of security. But in her state of near panic, coherent thought was not her strong point. 

    Swerving suddenly in her path, Callie sped up the streets as fast as she dared, making a beeline for City Hall.

    Behind her, the Metallikat Express followed in hot pursuit.  

~~~

    Dark Kat's jet dodged between the tops of skyscrapers, trying to lose the Enforcers. It was successful; one by one, the less maneuverable choppers had been forced to drop pursuit.

    Now there was only one chopper left. Though he took to the air less frequently nowadays, Ulysses Feral was a skilled pilot, and he trailed the jet doggedly between buildings, never faltering.

    Dark Kat muttered a curse. He was still being chased, and he didn't need to see him to know that his lone pursuer was that irritating Enforcer commander. It wouldn't be possible to bring the weapons back to his lair until he had lost him. 

    Suddenly, he saw the familiar spire of City Hall ahead, and the purple kat's skull-like face split in a grin. If he could lead the commander to that open space, it would be easy to lose him once he dodged back amongst the maze of buildings. 

    Still smirking, the crime lord raced for City Hall. And the commander followed. 

~~~   

    Cautiously, Dr. Viper's scaly head peered up from an open kathole in the street. He checked his bearings, and as he recognized the front of City Hall, the reptilian scientist grinned.

    He'd followed the path perfectly. Viper knew, from his many journeys through the MegaKat sewer system, that another tunnel system began only two streets away. Granted, the entrance was located directly behind City Hall, but the thought of losing the Enforcers was worth the risk. The snake-kat climbed out of the sewer . . .

    . . . And immediately regretted it as an Enforcer siren struck his ears.

    Viper looked back over his shoulder and saw one of the cruisers bearing down the street. He recognized the driver as that annoying female Enforcer, Feral's niece.  

    Snarling, the reptilian kat clutched the three chemical flasks to his chest and raced up the street, hoping to reach the drain behind City Hall before his pursuer caught up. 

    "You can run, but you can't hide, lizard." Felina chuckled as she saw a green tail vanishing up the street. She accelerated her cruiser, and hunter and hunted sped on, both heading toward City Hall. 

~~~

    And high above everything else, on a stone ledge above the massive clock face, a single green eye watched everything.

    The Pastmaster cackled gleefully. Scarcely ten fathoms below his gaze, the TurboKat hovered in place, its two occupants completely unaware of his presence. 

    "It's too easy." the sorcerer chuckled. "Not only do they come within my reach, they wait and offer themselves to me! This will be delightful."

    The ancient wizard reached into his robes and retrieved his watch. From another pocket, he produced a strange-looking framework of twisted silver wire. In several places, the wire seemed to form words. 

    Set into the frame was the lump of red sandstone he had summoned from another universe. 

    Quickly and carefully, the Pastmaster fitted the frame onto the face of his watch. He had to be certain it was straight, or when he channeled magic, it would not pass through the stone, and then the spell would fail. However, the silver frame fitted easily.

    The roaring of engines made the Pastmaster look up. Or more specifically, look _down_.

    From one direction, he could see two flying machines racing toward the clock tower. One was sleek and dark, like a raven, and the other was light-colored and buzzing, like a hornet. Down on the street, he could see smaller vehicles moving aside as two separate chases moved closer to the tower.

    "How appropriate. MegaKat City comes to witness the passing of its heroes." the sorcerer laughed. "And thus it ends. Fare thee well, SWAT Kats!"

    With energy born of rage and manic glee, the Pastmaster channeled magic into his watch. A beam passed through the small red rock fixed at its front.

    And a web of midnight-green energy began to fill the square.

~~~

    "We have to go _somewhere!_" Razor hissed. "Crud, T-Bone, every second we stall, we lose the chance of catching the villains!"

    "I know that!" his partner snapped. "But I can't fly us in three directions at once! I wish I could, but I can't!"

    He choked for a moment. "We'll take the Mint. Callie said there were no Enforcers on the scene; they'll need us most." T-Bone growled under his breath at having to leave the other situations to the Enforcers, but there was no choice. The lives of citizens were more important than his pride.  

    Teeth gritted, he prepared to turn the jet.

    "Wait a moment!" Razor's voice suddenly called. "Radar is picking up fast-moving objects heading for City Hall. From three different directions." There was a second's pause. "T-Bone, I think they're coming to us!" 

    Before T-Bone could reply, a massive jolt shook the TurboKat. 

    "What -?!" Razor started to ask, but he was cut off as a strange green light seeped into the cockpit. 

    "Something's wrong; I . . . can't move . . ." T-Bone gasped. "I'm taking us down!" 

    Desperately fighting a feeling he didn't know, T-Bone tried to bring the jet to land. But the feeling, a sense he could only describe as being _pulled_, was too strong. The green light was _pulling _him, and it was winning. 

    "Razor, I . . ." And then T-Bone slipped into the green darkness.

    "T-Bone?" The other SWAT Kat had just the faintest glimpse of his partner vanishing in a veil of midnight-green, and then he fell unconscious. 

    Pilot-less and empty, the TurboKat crashed into the square. 

~~~

    High on the top of City Hall, the Pastmaster gave a wild, screaming laugh of triumph. 

    "AT LAST, THEY ARE GONE!" 

    But the sorcerer's laughter suddenly died down. 

    The magic energy had not stopped. It was still spreading into the square below. 

~~~

    Callie gasped with relief as she spied City Hall up ahead. Safety was so close! She turned into the square . . . and abruptly stopped in horrified shock. 

    There, not far from the front entrance to the building, lay the still and battered form of the TurboKat. 

    "NO!" the deputy mayor screamed. "SWAT Kats . . ."

    Then a wave of midnight-green energy seized her, and she knew only darkness. 

    "Hey, she's stopped!" Mac Metallikat exclaimed. Rather awkwardly, he halted the massive hovercar, narrowly avoiding crashing into a lamppost.       "What's she doing?" Molly asked the air. Then she chuckled, and adjusted the multi-weapon on her arm. "C'mon, let's get her!"

    Suddenly, the two robots froze. A strange, green-black light was seeping into the vehicle.

    "Hey, let go of me!" snarled Molly, striking out at the air. 

    "I ain't touching ya!" Mac snapped back. "You let go of me!"

    The strange light flashed for a moment, and both robots knew no more.

~~~

    "You can't pursue me forever, Commander." Dark Kat chuckled. "Now I bid you farewell."

    The purple kat smirked and looked back for a moment as he swerved into the square, hoping to catch a glimpse of the chopper. 

    That was why he didn't see the spreading mass of green energy. Dark Kat felt a jolt as his jet was stopped in mid-air. 

    "What _is _this?!" he roared in frustration, but his words were cut off as the strange thing snatched him away into oblivion.

    A short distance behind, Commander Feral quickly halted at the sight of the energy-mass. He watched Dark Kat fly into it, then gasped as the crime lord's jet fell from the air. 

    "What is that thing?" Feral growled, instinctively hiding the fear in his voice. 

    A second later, the green darkness consumed him as well. 

~~~  

    Dr. Viper was becoming exhausted. He was good at walking long distances, but real running tired him quickly. Fortunately, Felina hadn't been able to follow him into the alley, but he knew she was still driving up the street, trying to cut him off. 

    "Well, I can't have that." the scientist panted. He clutched the chemicals tightly; no matter what, he would not give them up. "There hassss to be ssssome way around her!"

    A horrible _crash _almost made Viper drop the flasks. 

    Unable to resist, he looked out into the square, and started for a moment as he saw the TurboKat crashed on the ground. 

    "The SSSSWAT Katsss?" Viper asked, but a sense of being _pulled_ suddenly seized him. 

    "What'sss going on?!" 

    Then Viper slipped into unconsciousness.     

    At the sound of the jet crashing, Felina momentarily abandoned her pursuit of Viper to drive into the square. She barely had time to gasp before the midnight-green energy took her as well. 

~~~ 

    "And once the truth of the founders' meetings are known –"

    A horrible noise caused Dr. Sinian to drop the folders in shock. "What . . . ?"

    "It came from the entrance!" Ann Gora exclaimed. Excitedly, she raced toward the front doors. After a moment's hesitation, Dr. Sinian followed.

    Mayor Manx, who had been dreaming of the golf game he would soon be playing, was rudely snapped back into consciousness by the crash. He froze, too scared to move for a moment. Then he realized that the two she-kats had gone, and he was alone.

    "Wait for me!" he exclaimed, and raced after them. 

    As she started through the doors of City Hall, Ann Gora, in her haste to find out the cause of the crash, ran directly into someone coming in the opposite direction. 

    "Agh!" 

    She fell back for a moment, irritated, and then gasped as she recognized the form of Professor Hackle. 

    "Oh Professor, I'm sorry!" Hastily, Ann helped the old kat to his feet.  

    "It's quite all right, Ms. Gora." Hackle reassured her, dusting himself off. "My fault; I was hasty to get inside." There was a note of unease in the professor's voice. 

    Dr. Sinian and Mayor Manx caught up with them. "What's happening outside?" the historian asked. 

    Hackle looked worried. "You had best see for yourselves." 

    Ann and Abby followed him out, and after a moment's hesitation, so did Manx.

    "That . . . that's the TurboKat!" Ann exclaimed, pointing to the fallen jet. "Has there been an accident?"

    "Look!"

    Dr. Sinian pointed upwards, and the other three saw a web of green black-light spiraling down from the top of the building, filling the surrounding square.

    "What _is _that?" the reporter gasped.

    "I don't know." replied the historian. "It . . . it resembles the time portals of the Pastmaster, but . . ." She gasped suddenly. "We have to get inside! Hurry!"

    Hackle tried to get to the door, but a force seemed to be pulling him back. "Something has me . . ."

    "Let go!" Ann struggled with the energy that was clutching her. 

    Manx gibbered in fear as he watched the other three kats vanish into the green darkness. 

    "What's happening . . ."

    And then all went black. 

~~~

    On top of City Hall, the Pastmaster's laughter had changed into snarls of anger.

    "Cursed rock!" he snarled, shaking the watch viciously. "It's too strong! How can one stone have such power?!"

    He began to claw at the wire frame. "Stop, damn you! You've completed your task; I don't need you any more! Go back to the world you came from!"

    He turned the watch-face toward himself. "I command you to –"

    The wizard realized his mistake as a full blast of the magic struck him, snatching him away into oblivion.

~~~

**_     On the other side of the Multiverse . . ._**

    Abbess Tansy gave a contented sigh as a light breeze ruffled her spikes. It was noontime, and the sun was high over Mossflower wood. The treetops, green with the new summer, were painted with white-gold light. Late flowers were blooming in the meadows, and every now and then, Tansy heard a bird sing. 

    The female hedgehog turned around on the ramparts, turning her gaze from the forest to the inner courtyard of Redwall Abbey. As it was lunchtime, most of the Redwallers were inside, though Tansy noted with delight that a few had chosen to picnic outside and enjoy the day. 

    Ten seasons since she had become Abbess of Redwall, and they had all passed peacefully. 

    "That's as it should be." the hedgehog said with a smile. "Though there wouldn't be peace now if you hadn't fought for it, Martin. I think it will be long before we find an Abbey Warrior of your equal. Until a champion does come, we can only hope that the peace will remain."

    "Talking to yourself, Mother Abbess?"

    Tansy looked up, recognizing the voice of the Skipper of Otters. 

    "No, just thinking to myself."

    Skipper nodded. "Thinking about Martin?"

    "Yes." She sighed. "It's been nearly a season since he went to his rest, but I still miss him."

    "Aye, he was a great warrior, and a great friend." The big otter smiled. "But he wouldn't have wanted you making yourself sad over him on such a nice day. I came to fetch you to lunch, Mother Abbess, and you wouldn't want me to have come in vain?"

    Tansy smiled. "You're right, Skipper. Martin would want us to remember him with happiness. Let's go in."

    Otter and hedgehog began to walk along the wall, heading for the gatehouse. 

    "I just recalled; it's the new season." Skipper remarked. "Have you thought of a name for this summer yet, Mother Abbess?"

    Tansy shrugged. "Not yet. But I'm certain that a name will come to me soon."

    As they neared the gatehouse, the hedgehog Abbess frowned at a spiral of dark clouds forming over a section of Mossflower. "I'll have to warn the Abbeybeasts to stay inside this afternoon. I think a storm is coming."   


End file.
